The Mountain Park Rangers’ Association was the official sponsor of AB2891, and as such, we must respond to the misunderstanding created by Publisher Arnold York’s column on Nov. 6, 2002. Assemblymember Koretz has consistently demonstrated leadership in the arena of public safety and resource protection throughout his legislative career; for this exact reason we asked him to carry this legislation.
The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2002, alarmed a nation, and sparked an urgency to reevaluate the issue of public safety on state parkland. AB2891 addresses serious public safety issues arising from 9/11/01 and its aftermath. Existing law severely constrained Park Rangers in extraordinary emergency situations that weren’t of a natural cause. The bill gives park rangers the ability of effectively deal with emergencies that could occur on more than 50,000 acres of parklands owned or managed by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, including some of the most used and beloved spots in the Santa Monica Mountains
Several amendments were made to AB2891, but none with sinister intent. To the contrary, the end result of this bill’s passage will be beneficial for the citizens of Malibu and everybody else enjoying the Santa Monica Mountains. Mr. Koretz’s bill does a good thing by making management policies and types of uses consistent on all state owned land in the mountains, and that standard is the California State Park system. AB 2891 ensures that Conservancy land receives the same high level of protection as state park property, at the same time making sure that park visitors aren’t subjected to a welter of different rules, regulations and permitted uses. The Sierra Club vigorously supported the bill for this exact reason.
Mr. York’s commentary suggests that as sponsors of AB 2891, the Rangers Association was getting involved with Malibu’s lawsuit involving Ramirez Canyon. We don’t do that. We are park rangers, not lawyers. Our job is to protect the public and the natural treasures of the Santa Monica Mountains. We don’t take positions one way or another on specific lawsuits and neither does Assemblymember Koretz. It will be the responsibility of the courts to interpret AB2891. That is not the job of the Rangers’ Association or even members of the Legislature to tell the courts how to decide the outcome of any particular lawsuit.
The Legislature enacted AB2891 using its normal open and public procedures. The bill was also discussed at numerous Conservancy meetings. Even though the City of Malibu is a full voting member of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee, the city didn’t take the opportunity to attend the Conservancy meetings.
We urge the readers of The Malibu Times to look at the contents of AB2891 and judge for themselves. It is viewable on the Internet. We are confident that everyone will find AB2891 a common sense approach to protecting and managing the precious parkland of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Fernando Gomez, president
Mountain Park Rangers Association